Don’t be. Epidurals are one of the great miracles of science.

Jut kidding. I know some people still like this whole natural childbirth thing…  But whether you go for the drugs or lamaze, if you want to minimize your fear of pain, you should learn all you can about the birth process and pain management.

Talk to your doctor or other women you know who have given birth to find out what worked for them. Read up on the internet. And remember, the only thing you have to fear is fear itself. Or something like that

Here are some good online resources:

Dealing with Pain during Childbirth (Just ignore the hideous newborn at the top of the page… that would scare me more than the labor pangs!)

Epidurals and Pain-free Childbirth: Make an informed decision.

Natural Childbirth: A real life experience: Your response to the pain can influence how much pain you feel!

iVillage Comfort Measures: All you need to know! Back labor, reflexology, epidurals, hypnosis…